Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for Nonpoint Source Management Grants Under Clean Water Act Section 319

What the official notice requires

Pulled from the official notice EPA-OW-OWOW-26-01_-_Mod_2.pdf (30 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.

Award size and project length

• Award amounts here are for the whole project · p. 10

  “Example Cost Share Calculation Federal Share Non-Federal Cost Share Federal Share Non-Federal Cost Share Total Project Cost $175,000 40% 60% $116,667 $291,667 $175,000 10% 90% $19,444 $194,444 Example Calculation: 1.” Open page 10

Registrations you need first (2)

• Grants.gov · p. 6

  “Grants.gov Support support@grants.gov 1-800-518-4726 In accordance with EPA’s policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), EPA staff will not meet with individual applicants to discuss draft applications, provide informal comments on draft application, or provide advice to…” Open page 6

• SAM.gov, Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 22

  “Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov.” Open page 22

Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist

Steps before the deadline

• Informational webinar · p. 5

  “September 9, 2026 3:30 pm ET Information Webinar 1 September 17, 2026 2:00 pm ET Informational Webinar 2 October 23, 2026 11:59 pm ET FAQ Submission Deadline November 9, 2026 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline Spring 2027 Anticipated Selection…” Open page 5

What to submit

• Timeline or schedule of completion · p. 6

  “The applications should include an annual budget and budget detail narrative for the project, and a detailed workplan covering each year of the project.” Open page 6

• Form SF-424 · p. 16

  “Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)” Open page 16

• Form SF-424A · p. 16

  “Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)” Open page 16

• Budget narrative / justification · p. 19

  “Project Budget (see also review criteria vi) Provide a detailed budget narrative for the entire project period and estimated funding amounts for each work plan component/task.” Open page 19

Length limits

• Page limit (see quote): 15 pages max · p. 17

  “Additional pages beyond the 15-page limit will not be considered.” Open page 17

• Project Narrative: 1 page max · p. 17

  “Cover Page (included in the 15-page Project Narrative limit and should not exceed 1 page).” Open page 17

Formatting rules

• single-spaced · p. 9

  “Section 4 establishes a 15-page, single-spaced Project Narrative page limit.” Open page 9

• 12-point font, 1-inch margins · p. 16

  “It is recommended that applicants use a standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.” Open page 16

How applications are scored (3 points listed)

• A plan for measuring and tracking progress toward achieving the expected outputs and outcomes: 3 points · p. 24

  “(6 points) c) A plan for measuring and tracking progress toward achieving the expected outputs and outcomes (3 points) See the Project Narrative Description (Section 4.B) for more information. 15 Points Total” Open page 24

Cost share or match

• Cost share / match · p. 8

  “Pursuant to CWA Section 319(h)(12), administrative costs in the form of salaries, overhead, or indirect costs for services provided and charged against activities and programs carried out with the grant shall not exceed 10 percent of the grant award (federal…” Open page 8

• Cost share / match · p. 9

  “CWA Section 319(h)(3) of the CWA requires a non-federal cost share of at least 40 percent of the total project cost, and the cost share must be provided from non-federal sources.” Open page 9

• Cost share / match · p. 10

  “The EPA’s regulations also provide that the Agency may decrease the cost share requirement to as low as 10 percent of the total costs if the applicant can demonstrate in writing to the satisfaction of the Regional Administrator that fiscal circumstances…” Open page 10

• Cost share / match · p. 10

  “If the applicant does not demonstrate undue hardship, the applicant must then meet the minimum 40 percent cost share requirement.” Open page 10

Dates in the notice

• September 9, 2026 · p. 5

  “September 9, 2026 3:30 pm ET Information Webinar 1 September 17, 2026 2:00 pm ET Informational Webinar 2 October 23, 2026 11:59 pm ET FAQ Submission Deadline November 9, 2026 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline Spring 2027 Anticipated Selection…” Open page 5

• October 23, 2026 · p. 6

  “Questions must be submitted in writing via email and must be received by the EPA the EPA National NPS Tribal Coordinator, Margot Buckelew (tribal319grants@epa.gov) by October 23, 2026.” Open page 6

• November 9, 2026 · p. 22

  “Submission Dates and Times November 9, 2026 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline Grants.gov creates a date and time record when it receives the application.” Open page 22

Mistakes that get applications rejected (8)

• Not an eligible applicant: In such cases, the individual application will be considered ineligible. · p. 7

  “In such cases, the individual application will be considered ineligible.” Open page 7

• Not an eligible applicant: Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review... · p. 8

  “Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination. 2.” Open page 8

• Not an eligible applicant: In such cases, the individual application will be considered ineligible. 3. · p. 8

  “In such cases, the individual application will be considered ineligible. 3.” Open page 8

• Could get your application rejected: Applications that request more than $175,000 of federal funding will be rejected from further consideration. 4. · p. 8

  “Applications that request more than $175,000 of federal funding will be rejected from further consideration. 4.” Open page 8

• Missing a required part: All applications must include activities that are related to waters within a reservation, or they will be rejected. · p. 8

  “All applications must include activities that are related to waters within a reservation, or they will be rejected.” Open page 8

• Could get your application rejected: The application must clearly demonstrate the impacts of the upstream or downstream project on Tribal... · p. 8

  “The application must clearly demonstrate the impacts of the upstream or downstream project on Tribal waters or it will be rejected from further consideration.” Open page 8

• Missing a required part: Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set... · p. 9

  “Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section 5.C of this announcement or else they will be rejected.” Open page 9

• Over the length limit: However, where a page limit is expressed in Section 4.B with respect to the application, or parts thereof,... · p. 9

  “However, where a page limit is expressed in Section 4.B with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.” Open page 9